System of operating type-writers and the like.



L. POTTS. SYSTEM OF OPERATING TYPE WRITERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN-16' 19H- Patentedlflpr. 13, W15,

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L. M. POTTS.

SYSTEM OF OPERATING TYPE WRITERS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 16. I911.

Patented Apr. 13, 1915.

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L. WI. POTTS.

OPERATING TYPE WRITERS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION yuan mm. 16. I911.

SYSTEM 0F Patented Apr.

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L. M. POTTSL SYSTEM OF OPERATING TYPE WRITERS AND THE LIKE.

3 1 R P A d m n m a P APPLICATION FILED JAN. I6, 1911.

TIITD A UTF.

LOUIS M. rows, or. BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, assrcnoa T .ewsrm McLANAI-IAN, or

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SYSTEM OF OPERATING TYPE-WRITERS AND THE LIKE. I

Application filed January 16, 1911.

citizen of the United States, residing at- Baltimore city, State of Maryland, has ina vented certain new and useful Improvements in Systems of Operating Type-Writers and the like, of which the following is a specification. Various arrangements have been proposed 11a for operating one typewriter from the keyboard of another similar machine electrically. For example, in U. S. Patent No. 1,105,920, grantedAumlst 4, 1914, for improvements in telegrapliy, I have shown and 1t described such a system; but in that case as in most others where the arrangement is intended for telegraphic purposes, the two machines are operated over. a line comprising one metallic conductor and earth return. The arrangement shown and described in said patent was designed with especial reference to the operation of said machines when more or less remote from' each other, which limits the number .of line conductors that may be economically employed. a The object of the present invention is to "-prov1de a system for the operation of such machines in cases where it is not so important to take account of the number of line Conductors connecting the several machines,

" "'as'for example, in intercommunicating house I systems where all the machines are located in one building, or in separate buildings not remote from each other, or aboard ship, or

in fact under any conditions where a number of line conductors is not prohibitive.

According to iny invention, any machine in the system may be operated from the key- 40 board of any other machine in the system,

andthis may be done without the operation of switches for changing the connections of the respective machines from transmitting to receiving or vice versa, or, as will be more particularly described later, such switches may be employed. Moreover, ,any machine may be disconnected from the line at will,

when it may be used without others, and this disconnection maybe made without interfering in the slightest degree with the operation of the other machines.

I also provide means whereby the keys of the keyboard operated are automatically locked before that machine records, and also before the other machines operate, so. that Specification of Letters Patent.

tionthrough a cable vention and as affecting the Patented Apt. as, rain. Serial No. 602,965.

the printing of the same character on all of the machines is insured.

In order to more fully describe my said invention reference will be had to the acwhereln, 60.

companying drawings Figure 1, represents diagrammatically in side elevation three typewriters or similar machines electrically connected for operaaccording to my said invention; Fig. 2, a diagram showin the as electrical connections between two 0% the above machines, according to one form of my invention; Fig. 3, a diagram showing a system of electrical connections between two of said machines in accordance with my in- Vention, but differing somewhat from that shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a diagram showing a system of electrical connections between two of said machines, and embodying an- F other modification of my present invention, and, Fig. .5, a diagrammatic perspective view of portions of one of said machines and its electrical connections.

In carrying out my present invention, I do not limit myself .to a typewriting or other recording machine of any specific embodyment of my invention now about to be described themachines employed are of the same construction, except as to one or two slight additions herein shown, as the one described in said U. S. Patent No. 1,105,920, particularly as shown in Figs. 3 to 69 inclusive thereof; and since these machines are fully describedin said patent, I shall therefore herein show and describe only so much thereof as may be necessary to a proper understanding of the present invention. For the sake of clearness parts of the machine herein shown will be indicated by reference numerals corresponding to those used to identify similar parts in said patent.

In the accompanying drawings A, B and C represent three such machines electrically connected in'accordance with my present inhereinafterdescribed, through a cable D having branches E, F, G. The printing in thesemachines' is effected by type 1, coacting with a ribbon and platen not herein shown, the said type being carried each upon the head of a pivoted striker bar 2. The head of each of these striker bars may also be provided with lugs 9 which are adapted to operate punches as described in said patent.

Each striker bar is connected am .said bars, and that one of the tail pieces 71 which happens to be above the row of alined slots will be drawn therein by spring 75.

This throws the head 54 of the operated latch into the path ofthe actuating bar 52,

which, moving forward, engages said head and moves the latch with its slide bar 47 forward. The action of this is to pull link 44 forward and thereby swing the striker bar 2 on its'pivot upward and its head against the printing platen.

Motion is imparted to the actuating bar 52 from certain power mechanism controlled by amagnet 159 called the-space magnet. This magnet is energized each time one or more of the combination bars is shifted forward tobring about the selection of a striker bar, and this is eifected by causing the ends of said combination bars to act on a pivoted bracket 155 torock an upright l47-so as to cause pin 150 to send contact spring 151 into engagementlwith contact 1'53. The electrical circuit or these contacts and magnets Will be more fullydescribed later.

In these machines the combination bars are operable either manually from a keyboard or' electrically by. a series of magnets. When operating the machine from a keyboard the necessary selective movement is imparted to the combination bars by a series of selector bars 134 which have upturned ends 145 alined with the ends of said bars 71' so that when longitudinal movement is imparted to the selector bars these upturned ends engagethe comblnation bars and impart similar movement to them. This move- -ment of the selector bars is effected by keylelvers 109 acting upon cam lugs 144 on the bottom edges of said selector bars so as to 50 "as fully described in said patent.

move said bars in prearranged combinations,

' There is a keylever 109 for each character as in an ordinary typewriter and certain additional ones for effecting certain operations' of the carriage and paper which it is not necessary to go into here. If it is desired to lock the keys against operation at certain times, this is effected by means of a rocking bar 125- actuated from a lever 129 and adapted to rest above 'or below a lip 124' on each keylever, depending upon the levers operated, and to thereby lock them until the bar 125 is-again rocked to release them. The lever 129 which operates this bar 125, called the clapper bar in said patent.- is actuated extension or arm 101 adapted to engage lugs 102-on the bottom edges of the-combination bars. By energizing the magnets 99 in certain combinations, corresponding combination bars 71 are shifted to effect the selection of the striker bar corresponding to that combination. The keyboard and selector-bars comprise also means for selectively oper- -iting,elect'rical transmitting mechanism .for

,operating another machine at a distance, this transmitting mechanlsm comprises, in

the present case, a series of eight insulated contact springs 358 located respectively in the paths of the ends of the eight selector bars 134,'which latter are provided with ektensions 357 having insulated tips 376 for operating said contacts in combinations to bring them into engagement with contacts 368.

The electrical connections between two of these machines when carried out according to one form of my invention are shown most clearly in Fig. 2. Here a, b, c, d, e, f, g and h represent a group of eight wires composing cable D, and corresponding in number, as will be seen, to the magnets 99 of each machine, as well as to contacts 358. The eight magnets 99 of each machine are connected respectively to the eight conductors a to h by tapping one terminal of each magnet on to a corresponding one of said conductors. The other terminals of said magnets connect through resistances H, to the positive terminal. of a pair of supply mains leading from a suitable source of electricity. The eight contacts 358 of each machine are correspondingly connected respectively to the conductors a to h as shown, while the contact 368 is connected to the negative side of supply main.

The space magnet 159 of the machine is connected in multiple with the magnets 99 and contacts 358 across the supply mains. Thus it will be seen that the magnets 99 and contacts 358 of each machine are connected in multiple with corresponding parts of each other machine of the system. Any desired number of machines may be similarly connected on to the eight conductors a to h and the supply mains. By this arrangement each machine receives current at substantially the same potential, which is important.

If an operator at machine A desires to opsame to set the ductors a to printing of the crate machine-'13, he simply operates the keyboard of his own machine as if for home recording. This operates contacts 358'-368 and these in turn complete corresponding circuits through magnets 99 of the other ma chine and these in turn operate the selecting mechanismof that machine to cause the printing mechanism in operation to record the character corresponding to the ke operated at the distant machine. Obviously, if there are other machines on the circuit in addition to machine B, such as the/machine C, Fig. 1, or others, these will be correspondingly operated.

The diagram Fig. 2, shows a very simpl'e case in which the locking of the keyboards of the machines is not employed, and each keyboard is free to be operated at will. It will also be seen that according to this diagram (Fig. 2) that each machine may either receive or transmit without the operation of any switch to change the connections of any given machine from transmitter to receiver or vice versa.

In Fig. 3, is shown an arrangement of connections wherein the locking of the keyboards is provided for but in which the switching arrangement referred to in the preceding paragraph is not employed. In this latter diagram the connections of the magnets 99, and contacts 358, to the conii are the same as in the case shown in Fig. 2. According to the arrange ment shown in Fig. 3, however, as soon as a key is operated, this closes a circuit through the clapper magnet 354;, by closing contacts 151153. As soon as this magnet becomes energized it starts the cam 131 to rotating, as fully described in the above mentioned patent. This cam in the present instance, however, is so set as to have its elevated portion normally under roller 132 which normally unlocks the keys. The roller 132 in this position, forces the upper end of the lever 129 to the left causing it to act through an insulated rod J or otherwise to hold separated two spring contacts K and L. Shortly after'the cam 131 starts to rotate, however, roller 132 will pass from the elevated por tion of cam 131 to the concentric portion thereof, thereby allowing contacts K and L to close, whereby a circuit is completed through the spacing magnet 159 of the home machine. This machine then operates to print, and selecting impulses are transmitted through contacts 358 to the other machines. By this arrangement the keys of the local machine are locked before that machine operates to print and also before the other machines operate, so that the chines is insured. The operation of contacts K and L by the lever 129 is not shown in the machine as disclosed in my British patent above referred to. Otherwise, the

same character on all ma The blades of these switches at each machine are permanently connected, one to a terminal of magnet 354, and the other to a terminal of magnet 159. and contact 368. The

stationary switch contacts P and Q are electrically connected permanently to contact 153, while stationary contact R is permanently electrically connected to contact spring K. Switch contact S is dead. Normally, the switches M are thrown to the right as in the right hand machine Fig. 4, when the connections will be proper for re ceiving. WVhen, however, transmit, the switch M is thrown to the left as in the machine on the left in Fig. 4".- Assuming that the switches M are in the two positions shown in Fig. 4, and that a key has been operated at the machine on the left, to transmit, current will pass from the positive main through clapper magnet 354, switch contact Q, contacts 153-151 to the negative main. The clapper magnet will then operate, the i eyb oard, and close contacts K and L. The operation of the key, however, closed contact 368 in connection with one or more of the contacts 358. This completed, a circiut which energizes one or more of the magnets 99 of the home machine, depending upon the contacts 358 closed, said circuit passing from the positive main through certain of the magnets 99, thence to corresponding conductors a to h, contacts 358-368, wire joint T, switch contact R, contacts K and L, to the negative main. Current also passes from positive supply main through corresponding magnets 99 of the receiving machine on the right, thence through conductors a-k and contacts 358-4368 of the transmitting mechanism to negative, as described. The combination mechanism of both machines is then set-to operate the recording mechanism and this is started into operation by the spacing magnets 159 which become energized at each machineas follows: At the transmitting machine the circuit through the space magnet becomes completed through the operation or closing of contacts K and L, and circuit passing from the positive main through magnet 159 i switch contact R, contacts K and .L, to negative supply. At the machine now acting merely as a receiver, the circuit through the space magnet 1T9 passes from the positive supply main through said magnet, thence through switch contacts I and Q, and contacts 153%151 to negative supply main. Both mach nes thenrecord the signal. This arrangement (Fig. 4) is one way wire joint T,

it is desired to of insuring thelocking of the keyboard of thereby insuring the recording of the same characters on each machine.

The advantages of this invention especially for operating over comparatively short distances are obvious. Such a system may be employed to operate typewriters located in diiierent portions of a large business establishment or factory or aboard ship or in fact in any case where the use of a line of the kind herein described is not prohibitive for economical reasons v Another important application of the invention is its use with machines designed to prepare message blanks for automatic telegraph transmission, such for example as the one herein described. By locating one or more of such machines on the circuit, such telegraph blanks may be prepared at will from the keyboard of any other machine Whether the other machines themselves are adapted to prepare such blanks or not. The

, said invention may, moreover, be used in various other connections without departin from the spirit thereof.

at I claim is:

1. A plurality of recording machines each comprising in a unitary device electrical means to operate the machine from a distance, a keyboard for, controlling the machine locally, and transmitting mechanism operated by the keyboard for controlling the operation of one or more of the otherv machines, in combination with a group of electrical conductors of lesser number than the characters recordable by the individual machines forming portions of a plurality of electric clrcuits extending from the trans mittmg mechanism of one machine to the electrical operating means of another machine, substantially as described.

2. Two or more typewriters each comprising in a unitary device printer controlling selecting mechanism, a group of primary controlling devices for operating said selecting mechanism electrically, said devices a being of lesser number than the characters which the machine is adapted to print, in combination with a cable forming an electrical connectio'n from one machine to another and comprising a group of conductors oflesser numberlthan said characters, and means to operate the selecting mechanism of one machine from the keyboard of another machine through said cable.

3. Two or more typewriters each comprising in a unitary "device printer controlling selecting mechanism, a group" of primary controlling devices for operating said selecting mechanism electrically, said devices being of lesser number than the characters which the machine is adapted to print, in combination with a cable forming an electrical connection from one machine to another and comprising a group of conductors as great in number as said controlling de- 41. Two or more machines, each comprising in a unitary device character recording mechanism, selecting mechanism adapted to control the operation of said recording mechanism, said selecting mechanism having a plurality of elements the combining of which determines the character to be recorded, electrical means operatively connected to said elements for distant control, a keyboard operatively connected to said elements for local control, and transmitting means also operated by said keyboard, in combination with means forming operative connection between said machines and comprising a group of electrical conductors in number as many as said elements but of lesser number than the characters the machine is adapted to record, to which the said electrical operating means and the transmitti board mechanism, in combination with opcrative electrical connection between the several machines comprising a cable having a group of insulated conductors to which the said magnets of the several machines are connected and to which the keyboard transmitting means of the said machines are also connected, whereby the operation of the keyboard transmitting mechanism of one machine operates the selecti 1g mechanism of another machine, substantially as described. A

6. Two or more typewriting machines each having in a unitary device selecting mechanism to control the operation of the record ing mechanism, a plurality of magnets of lesser number than the recordable characters, adapted to operate said selecting mechanism by distant control, keyboard operated mechanism to operate the said selecting ,mechanism locally, and transmitting mecha- 1]]SII1 controlled by said keyboard mecha-' and to which the keyboard transmitting means of the said machines are also connected whereby the operation of the keyboard transmitting mechanism of one machine operates the selecting mechanism of another machine, and automatic means to lock the unoperated keys of the operated keyboard against operation until after the recording operation has taken place, substantially as described.

7. Two or more typewriting machines each comprising in a unitary device selecting mechanism to control the operation of the recording mechanism, a plurality of magnets of lesser number than the recordable characters, adapted to operate said se lecting mechanism by distant control, keyboard operated mechanism to operate the said selecting mechanism locally, and transmitting mechanism controlled by said keyboard mechanism, in combination with operative electrical connection between the several machines comprising a cable having" a group of insulated conductors to which the'said magnets of the several machines are connected in multiple and to which the keyboard transmitting means of the said machines are also connected in multiple whereby the operation of the keyboard transmitting mechanism of any machine operates the selecting mechanism of any one or more of the other machines, substanti ally as described.

8. Two or more machines, each comprising in a unitary device character recording mechanism, selecting mechanism adapted to control the operation of said recording mechanism, said selecting mechanism having a plurality of elements the combining ofwhich determines the character to be recorded, electrical means operativcly connected to said elements for distant control, a keyboard operatively connected to said elements for local control, and transmitting means also operated by said keyboard, in combination with means forming operative connection between said machines and comprising a group of electrical conductors in number as many as said elements but of lesser number than the characters the machine is adapted to record, to which the said electrical operating means and the transmitting means of eachm'achine are electrically connected, substantially as described.

9. Two or more typewriting machlnes each comprising in a unitary device electrical means whereby it may be operated from' a distance and also electrical transmitting means controlled by the keyboard, in combination with a cable comprising a group of electrical conductors of lesser number than the keys of the keyboards of the. individual machines forming electrical con- Will nection from the transmitting mechanism of one machine -to the electrical operating means of another machine.

10. Two or more typewriting machines each comprising in a unitary device electrical means whereby it may be operated from a distance and also electrical transmitting means controlled by the keyboard, a cable comprising a group of electrical conductors of lesser number than the keys of the keyboards of the individual machines forming electrical connection from the transmitting mechanism of one machine to the electrical operating means of another machine, and a common source of direct current of electricity from which all of said machines are supplied.

11. Two or more typewritingflmachines each comprising in a unitary device electrical means whereby it may be operated from a distance and also electrical transmitting means controlled by the keyboard, in combination with a cable comprising a group of electrical conductors of lesser number thanf the keys of the keyb, ads of the individual machines forming electrical connection from the transmitting mechanism of one machine to the electrical operating means of another machine, and a common source of direct current of electricity to which all of said machines are connected in multiple.

12. The combination with a pair of electric conductors constituting supply mains leading respectively from the positive and negative terminals of a source of direct electric current, of a plurality of typewriters each having a plurality of magnets adapted to control the operation of its printing mecl anism and a plurality of transmitting con'acts controlled by its keyboard, the said magnets and the said contacts being of lesser number than the characters the machine is ada ted to print, oneterminal of each of sai magnets being connected to one of said supply mains, a group of electrical conductors corresponding in number to said magnets and to which the other terminal of each of said magnets are respectively connected, means connecting the said contacts of each machine respectively to said conductors, and means controlled by the keyboard of each machine to connect the said contacts to the other supply main in prearranged combinations, substantially as de scribed.

13. The combination with a plurality of recording machines, each cemprising in a unitary device electrical means to operate the machine from a distance, a keyboard for lllO controlling the machine locally, and transmitting mechanism comprising switching board for controlling the operatio-nof one;

o.-; nore of said machines, the said \ransmitting means and said electrical means '0 operate 'said machine from a distance being all i connected in parallel, the signals being impressed on the lines connecting said ma-, chines by said variably operated switching mean's directly.

15. The combination'with a pluralit of recording machines, each comprising in a unitary device electrical means to operate the machine from a distance, a keyboard for controlling the machine locally, and trans- .1

mitting mechanism comprising switchingfl;

mechanism variably operated under the niechanica-l control of said keyboard for controlling the operation of one or more of the other machines, of electrical connections between said machines whereby the said electrical operating means of all the machines may be operated by the manipulation of any of said keyboards, the signals being impressed on the lines connectin said nachines by said variably operate switching means directly, and locking mechanism comprising a portion of said machines whereby the keys of the keyboard operated are automatically locked in advance of the operation of the recording mechanism of that or any of the other machines.

16. The combination with a plurality of recording machines, each comprising electrical means to operate the machine from a distance, a keyboard for controlling the machine locally, and transmitting r'nechanism comprising switching mechanism variably operated under the mechanical control of said keyboard for controlling the operation of one or more of the other machines,

of electrical connections between said machines whereby the said electrical operating means of all the machines may be operated by the manipulation of any of said heyboards, the signals being impresscd on the lines connecting said machines by said variably operated switching means directly,

locking mechanism comprising a portion of said-,machines whereby the keys of the keyboard operated are automatically locked in advance of the operation of the recording mechanism of that or any of the other machines, and a switch controlling said locking mechanism at each machine and adapted to render said mechanism inoperative when the machine is employed as a receiver.

. 17. In a system of the class described, a plurality of electrically operated typewriting machines each comprising in a unitary device a plurality of magnets controlling its recording mechanism, and a group of transmitter contacts operated by the keyboard of the machine and corresponding in number to the said magnets of each machine and connected respectively to corresponding magnets of all the machines; in combination with means connecting corresponding mag-' nets of the several machines in multiple.

18. The combination with a pair of'electric conductors constituting supply mains leading respectively from the positive and negative terminals of a source of direct electric current, of a plurality of typewriters each comprising in a unitary device a plurality of magnets adapted to control the operation of its printing mechanism and a plurality of transmitting contacts controlled by its keyboard, one terminal of each of said magnets being connected to one of said supply mains, a group of electrical conductors corresponding in number to said magnets and to which the other terminals of said magnets of each machine are respectively connected, means connecting the said. con-' tacts of each machine respectively to said conductors, and means controlled by the keyboard of each machine to connect the said contacts to the other supply main to operate said magnets.

1 testimony whereof I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

- LOUIS M. POTTS.

\Vitnesses PAUL E. Kmrnn, ARMSTEAD M. WEBB. 

